2019 NBA Mock Draft: Could the Hawks jumpstart their rebuild in 2019?
125. . F. Virginia. De'Andre Hunter. 10. player
On the latest episode of “The Mismatch” podcast, part of the weekly schedule for the Ringer NBA Show, reporter Kevin O’Connor noted that the Hawks were likely to deal swingman Taurean Prince by February’s trade deadline. The 2016 first-round selection blossomed last year but could become a victim of the franchise’s reset, slightly older than the rest of the young core in Atlanta.
Prince has two years left on his rookie deal and has plenty of room to continue improving, meaning the Hawks could get something good back for him in a deal. It also means finding a young replacement who can match Prince’s two-way ability on the wing becomes a priority for Atlanta. Every team needs as many players like Prince as possible, but finding a 3-and-D wing is even more vital for the Hawks as they fill out the roster around limited defenders Trae Young and Kevin Huerter.
In Hunter, the Hawks would find a smart, versatile replacement for Prince to develop alongside Huerter, Young and the rest of Atlanta’s core. General manager Travis Schlenck has made no secret of his intention to build this team in the image of Golden State, where he began his career. No one matches Draymond Green or Andre Iguodala, two unique talents that can playmake and lock down defensively, but Hunter is the type of prospect you grab if you want to imitate what the Warriors have developed.
The sophomore is shooting a spectacular 44 percent on 3s, trading in some of his turnovers from last year for assists in a bigger role for unbeaten Virginia. Translating that defense-first, low-usage role from Virginia to Atlanta would be a natural fit for Hunter on the Hawks.